As it turns out Google.org is not the only one in the testing stages of technology that will help households manage their energy use more efficiently (see our previous blog post on the Google PowerMeter).
A recent study, the Pacific Northwest Gridwise™ Demonstration Project, allowed 112 families to preset their desired levels of energy use based on their desired comfort level and economy. These presets were applied to their thermostats, heaters and dryers and as peak electricity price increased, the software automatically lowered thermostats and turned off the heating device on water heaters to reduce the energy costs and decrease stress on the power grid. A virtual online bank account was established to allow customers to see their expenditure and savings, and participants received constantly updated pricing information that helped them change their presets if they so wished. This project helped reduce energy use during peak hours by as much as 50%. Individual families saved approximately 15% more energy than normal.
Another project, also in the Pacific Northwest, hooked up controllers to specific appliances such as dryers and water heaters. The Grid Friendly Appliance project was aimed at reducing stress on the power grid by detecting periods of high energy consumption and using their controllers to shut off the appliances they were hooked up to. This action decreased the stress on the grid enough to re-stabilize the system and sometimes even prevent or reduce the impact of power outages.
Looks like energy use is making huge strides forward! We can’t wait for these projects to finish up the testing stages and go mainstream.
Read the full story here.
